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Takeaways
- The Staff Excellence Awards honor employees who strengthen team culture and support meaningful work across Huntsman Cancer Institute.
- This year’s recipients reflect the broad impact of research, advocacy, and program development.
- Their contributions demonstrate the power of collaboration, dedication, and compassion.
Impact: These awards highlight Huntsman Cancer Institute’s ongoing commitment to supporting staff who help advance scientific impact, community health, and workforce development.
Huntsman Cancer Institute is proud to celebrate three employees recognized with University of Utah Staff Excellence Awards for 2025. This annual award honors staff members who demonstrate exceptional dedication, innovation, and service to the Huntsman Cancer Institute community and the University of Utah.
These individuals have made meaningful contributions that strengthen our mission and create a positive impact for patients, families, trainees, and colleagues. We are pleased to highlight this year’s recipients and the important work they lead.
Anna Marsden
Program Development and Community Support
Former Senior Manager, Cancer Research Training and Education Coordination
“It is incredibly humbling.”
During her 10 years at Huntsman Cancer Institute, Anna Marsden held several roles and advanced from administrative program coordinator to senior manager. She supported major programs and initiatives, including the PathMaker Program, 5 For The Fight, Huntsman Cancer Institute RISE, research program liaisons, the Leadership Excellence Advancement and Development,, and multiple departments and centers such as CRTEC, and the IMPACT Center.
Her journey to Huntsman Cancer Institute began after her father received care here, shifting her career path toward service and community impact. She found meaning in building programs, supporting patients and families, and helping trainees grow.
Marsden shared that receiving this recognition is deeply meaningful to her, saying, “It is incredibly humbling.”
She recently transitioned to a new opportunity outside Huntsman Cancer Institute, and we remain grateful for the impact she made.
Ju-Fen Zhu
Lab Support and Research Advancement
Senior Laboratory Specialist, Benjamin Myers Lab
“The ability to help others, learn new things, and collaborate with colleagues is my favorite part of the job”
Ju-Fen Zhu joined the Myers lab in 2018 as its first staff member. She conducts and monitors experiments, maintains a safe and organized lab environment, and provides support and training to fellow researchers.
Zhu brought more than 20 years of experience in cancer research to her role and continues to contribute to discoveries that support scientific advancement at Huntsman Cancer Institute.
“The ability to help others, learn new things, and collaborate with colleagues is my favorite part of the job” says Zhu.
Being selected for a Staff Excellence Award is a meaningful recognition of her work.
Carla Lloyd
Research Advocacy and Patient Partnership
Patient Research Advocacy Coordinator, Huntsman Cancer Institute Research Administration Department
“What I like best is seeing our group flourish and watching researchers receive grants that lead to breakthroughs.”
Carla Lloyd serves as chair of the Breast and Gynecologic Cancers Research Advocate Committee, a volunteer group she co-founded nine years ago with Alana Welm, PhD. The group partners with researchers to strengthen grant applications, review abstracts, provide patient-advocate perspectives, and contribute to clinical trial development. She also leads the annual Project Next Symposium, which supports trainee growth and collaboration.
Lloyd’s connection to Huntsman Cancer Institute is rooted in her experience as a Stage 3 breast cancer survivor, and she has dedicated herself to strengthening research advocacy and patient partnership. Before joining Huntsman Cancer Institute, she spent 32 years as a professor and administrator at Syracuse University.
Reflecting on the work, she share, “What I like best is seeing our group flourish and watching researchers receive grants that lead to breakthroughs.”
Receiving a Staff Excellence Award is a meaningful recognition of her nearly decade-long commitment to this work.